The Serpent's Guild
by Trish the Stalker
Summary: INCOMPLETE A possible ending to the Harry Potter series. A new secret organization is formed, a traitor is revealed, people change. Most of the characters, ideas, whatever, yaddayadda, you know the drill, belong to the master JK Rowling herself.
1. Dreams and Reality

Volta sat in the weathered red armchair. She brushed her pale hair out of her face only to have it fall back into place. Her eyes darted to the chair in front of her every few seconds, as if expecting someone to be sitting there. There was no sound except the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. She glanced at the picture on the wall to check that it was sleeping, though if it wasn't sleeping it would be screaming at her to get out. Good old Mrs. Black had been a wonderful feature to the house, waking you up in the middle of the night and whatnot. The moving portrait had once resided in 12 Grimmauld Place, and it had taken a few years to get it down and into the house of the Malfoys. Narcissa had desired it for many years, more so to spy on her kin for blood traitors than to have as a family heirloom. In fact she had secretly despised the woman in life; though in death she found her quite useful. Volta had never liked her uncle's house, though her uncle had never been pleasant to be around in person either. The door creaked open and footsteps could be heard crossing the room. An indent appeared in the chair as though someone was sitting in it.  
  
"Draco, I thought you'd never come, and if Mrs. Black woke up..."  
  
As his invisibility cloak fell to the floor a blond haired boy appeared in the armchair across from her."I'm here now. Besides, I put a sleeping hex on her, surprisingly the same spell applies to people and portraits." His icy gaze pierced her thoughts. "Volta, they are planning to massacre the children at Beauxbatons."  
  
"The Guild will have to notify the Order of their plans. Dumbledore will have to be brought in."  
  
Draco hissed at her so as not to wake up the portrait, "Not Dumbledore! Its what he wants. If you do that he'll go to Hogwarts instead!"  
  
Volta bit her lip. "Harry will still come with the Order and the Guild," Draco flinched at the name, "He fights alongside the Order and wouldn't let them die while he stands by. He is the best Auror in training at the Ministry."  
  
"The Dark Lord won't be there anyways, he will be sitting and waiting for Dumbledore to come out and take the bait, though he doesn't really expect him to really fall for it. He really just wants to kill off more of us. Since he was exposed and that fool Fudge finally admitted his mistake the Death Eaters were seriously short of members. Our numbers were cut nearly in half. Once that happened, he recruited most of the 6th and 7th year Slytherins. Stupid children, although it isn't such a loss that I'm a Death Eater now. Occlumency from Snape has proven effective against the Dark Lord so far."  
  
Volta nodded gravely then added a personal thought. "I've always been curious, is Snape a Death Eater spy for the Order?"  
  
Draco just smiled.  
  
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Harry woke up in a cold sweat. His nightmares were becoming frighteningly more real. Of course, sometimes they were real. One night he had watched six children lined up as one by one they had there life sucked out of them by dementors. One of those children had been Dennis Creevey, a boy who had admired Harry almost as much as his older brother had. Colin Creevey was now in the Order of the Phoenix to avenge his brother's death. Dennis's loyalty to Harry had stood strong to the last, his defiance to spit in the face of the Death Eater who had last laid hands on him as he was dragged away to his fate. Though he practised occlumency on a regular basis, as Lord Voldemort grew stronger, he couldn't block out his thoughts. Voldemort could see his own sometimes too, and alter the thoughts. But nothing like the power of the truth could hurt him. He couldn't take much seriously and when it was reality it was like a slap in the face.  
  
He got up and went to the bathroom.  
  
Ron was tied to a chair.  
  
He turned on the cold water.  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
He splashed it on his face.  
  
"Never!"  
  
He opened the medicine cabinet.  
  
"I said tell me!"  
  
He grabbed the vial that was given to him.  
  
"No!"  
  
He opened it.  
  
"You don't want to tell me? Then you will never speak again!"  
  
He downed the potion, as bitter as it was.  
  
The blinding flash of green light as it ended.  
  
An old dream. A recurring dream. A dream, nothing more. 


	2. The Guild and the Order

The Serpent's Guild was a group of young pureblood wizards, all of whom were or had at one time been in Slytherin House or attended Durmstrang. Many of whom were affected by family or friends in the Death Eaters. All of whom were opposing Lord Voldemort. "Now I know you are all awaiting our next movement. And I assure you, you will know soon enough. But for now, we want you to take protective positions at the schools. Beauxbatons and Hogwarts especially, they are high risk. Hogwarts for the obvious, and Beauxbatons because they have no defence. Maxime is a powerful women, but not enough of a deterrent for the Death Eaters." Volta stood on a box in a small cramped room, the shrieking shack in Hogsmeade. The thirty or so odd young adults barely fit, but it was possible with the use of magic to create more room. The Guild nodded with acknowledgement. "Hypsiglena's Team, you take Beauxbatons. The girls can pose as students. Viridis's Team, you stay at Hogwarts, seeing as you are all still students there. We move when the school year begins."  
  
Draco sat in the back of the room, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He took his leave early as he knew everything that was happening anyway.  
  
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Ron and Hermione sat in the meeting at Grimmauld Place. The Order had grown considerably since that day three years ago at the Ministry. Many of the children who had been in Dumbledore's Army had eventually joined the Order. Neville Longbottom not being the least of these. He still sought to make right his parents fate. They, along with the Potters, had been in the original Order. The Longbottoms suffered a worse fate than the Potters, for though Harry's parents had been killed personally by Voldemort, they had died quickly, whereas the Longbottoms had been tortured into madness. Now they were less capable than infants. Nymphadora Tonks stood at the head of the table and managed to hush the large group of people. "We have received word from the Guild that the Death Eaters are planning an attack at Beauxbatons. We need to leave some of you at Hogwarts. Fleur will be on the lookout and we will station you there as we see fit. You can request to be stationed there, but don't expect anything, we have to keep this as low key as possible. The list will be temporarily posted on that wall over there." And she pointed her wand at the wall as a thing line of sparkling light hit the wall and the list appeared. "As for the rest of you, be ready for a call to reinforcements."  
  
At the end of the meeting, Ron and Hermione joined the crowd at the list. Hermione squeezed through the crowd, seeing as she was still fairly small in size. Ron however, had grown to a staggering six foot two, and he wasn't too gangly anymore, the rookie Quidditch team had done his body some good over the last year. As she reached the wall, she scanned the list for names she recognized.  
  
Colin Creevey  
Fleur Delacour  
Hermione Granger  
Neville Longbottom  
Luna Lovegood  
Remus Lupin  
Nymphadora Tonks  
Bill Weasley  
Fred Weasley  
George Weasley  
Ginny Weasley  
Ronald Weasley  
  
There were a few other names she recognized, but there were around forty other names on the list. She caught up with Ron again. "We're on it."  
  
Ron nodded. "Right."  
  
Ginny had also dodged in between the group of people, though it was now thinning out. She went up to Neville, who blushed at her arrival. Still, he had become less shy than the round faced little boy he had once been. He had also become more built in his work for the Order. Though he wasn't round anymore, he wasn't small. Ron couldn't make out what they were saying and Hermione knew without asking. She had learned how to read lips in her free time since her graduation. "Ginny just said 'looks like we'll be going together.' See how her ears are going red? Neville just said 'I'm glad we get to finally work together.' Now Ginny is saying..." Hermione trailed off. Ron looked as though he didn't know whether to be overprotective or to just be horrified at what he was hearing. He hated to hear about his sibling's love lives, though as older brother he had the natural instinct to be overprotective and aggressive. Hermione put her hand on his arm, "Don't worry, she'll be alright, its not like he's Draco or anyone." Ron seemed to grow further upset at the mention of Draco rather than calmed down. "Ron, really, its nothing to be worried about. Neville isn't at all dangerous, in fact they make a cute couple, why don't you let her be?" Finally, Ron seemed soothed by this.  
  
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Harry met up with Luna in the alleyway behind his home in Little Whinging. Though he wished once he had graduated he could be out of the house that he hated so much, he couldn't leave until Lord Voldemort was defeated. Or until Harry was dead. Either way, he couldn't leave. Luna apparated right then. The two had felt a special bond since the events at the Ministry of Magic all those years ago. She had been of the most comfort to the loss, though she had hardly said a word. She had given him the hope he had needed.  
  
"Harry, are you alright? You keep to yourself so much, I can't imagine what could be wrong to make you call me. Usually you want to just be alone."  
  
"Luna, I'm fine. I just can't keep to myself anymore, and you're the one who really understands things. You don't see things the way other people do and you don't fret about things. If I told anyone else they would just worry."  
  
Luna just stared at him. A few agonizing seconds passed, "Well, are you going to tell me?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. I've always had dreams. Well, not dreams, but you know, seeing what Voldemort sees. I can't block them anymore. The occlumency has quit working, I can't stop him coming into my mind anymore. And there are other times I don't think its even him. I can't take it anymore."  
  
Luna stood in thought for a moment. "Unless you get rid of your fear, you won't be able to make them go away." Harry started to say that he wasn't afraid. "Yes you are Harry. You are brave, but you are afraid. Afraid to lose the ones you care for. Afraid to die. Afraid to fail. You don't realize it, but you are feeding your fears."  
  
Harry just stood there. He couldn't say a word, but he couldn't stay silent. Instead, he let out a cry, such an anguished scream that he thought the whole neighbourhood would be awake now. Already lights were turning on. He fell to his knees. "Why shouldn't I be afraid? People are dying, and if I fuck up, then everyone will die. I'm scared that everyone will die because I couldn't do it. I am carrying the fate of the world here. It is either him or me. You have no idea how much pressure I am under."  
  
"Harry, if you die, is it really something to be afraid of? I know one thing, and its if you die you won't have to deal with it anymore. It will be out of your hands. We can take care of it. It isn't in the prophecy what happens afterward. And it doesn't say you will die. Don't be afraid Harry, its what he's after. Fear has no point other than to weaken you. Whether you are afraid or not, whatever happens happens." 


	3. Fatal Errors

Severus Snape left the building that the Dark Lord had been hiding in. He left with distinct orders to slip a deadly potion into Albus Dumbledore's food tonight. The Dark Lord had ordered him to, and if Dumbledore didn't end up dead, Severus would for sure. He left to return to Hogwarts castle. The school year hadn't started but the teachers remained at the school year round for the most part. Severus knew what he would do. He would warn Dumbledore and then he could help think of a plan.  
  
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Lord Voldemort sat in his chambers. He hollered at a man lying on the ground next to him. Despite the fact that he had one arm made of silver, he was pathetic and sobbing. "Get up fool! I have an errand for you"  
  
"Yes Master?"  
  
"I want you to follow Snape, and take this with you."  
  
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As Draco left the abandoned building he suddenly felt cold. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Suddenly his all his fears came flooding into him at once. He heard the voices of his childhood, namely his mother, father and the voice of a girl.  
  
'Oh, its you. What do you want? You want a hug? Hugs come from mothers who don't know how to raise proper children.'  
  
'You stupid boy, I should have killed you as soon as I saw that you could never become one of us. He will kill you if you screw this up boy.'  
  
'You're going to die cold and alone Malfoy. You can't really think that anyone actually likes you.'  
  
Of all of the voices, the girl's hurt the most. It hurt because it was true. It hurt because he saw everything he wished he was in her. It hurt because he wished she cared for him. It hurt because his parents would murder her or kill him if he ever got anywhere near her. It hurt because Hermione Granger was engaged to Ron Weasley.  
  
Suddenly Draco passed out from fear as the dementors came within the distance to touch him, the rancid smell of decayed meat was in the air. The dementors moved in to drag him back to the headquarters, an experience he would rather not be awake for anyways.  
  
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Severus entered the school grounds. He crossed to the staff side doors, but as he passed a lone tree a man suddenly appeared. He looked rather like a rodent, with twitchy eyes and sweaty palms. "I followed you Severus, and if you ever want to see Draco alive again, you will kill Dumbledore. I'll be watching. If you do anything wrong, he will kill you personally. The boy on the other hand, will not be as lucky to receive death." the squat little man leaned forward and raised his silver hand to his face. He whispered the words "He knows." And Severus turned white as a ghost. With that he transformed into a rat and scampered off into the night.  
  
Severus entered the school and quickly left for his wares. He needed to fake a potion and quickly. The staff dinners were always late, though it was now nine. It was good for him that Dumbledore usually ate supper around ten so that Severus could fill him in on the news from the Death Eaters. He fumbled through his cupboards and finally found an instant acting sleeping potion that had similar visible effects to that of the poison and even slowed the heart and breathing to a death like state. Severus remained cool and collected so as to not make a mistake.  
  
He entered Dumbledore's quarters where the meal was already laid out for him. "So glad you could join me Severus." Severus remained expressionless as he spotted a rat sitting atop the dresser. Dumbledore caught something in his eye and immediately began to talk as if nothing was happening. Severus offered to pour Dumbledore a drink. As he did so he slipped the potion into the drink and made sure that Dumbledore didn't notice. As long as he didn't know it would be alright. He would just sleep and even if that wretched Wormtail tried to check and see if he was alive he wouldn't be able to tell.  
  
He watched as Dumbledore began to drink, and as he did a wretched smile of glee washed over Severus's face. Not that he had just committed an act of murder as Wormtail thought, but that he had just outwitted such a halfwit. The look on his face as Dumbledore's eyes began to droop remained until he had collapsed onto the table. He then looked up at Wormtail with a grin full of spite. "I've killed him, he's dead. Are you happy? Am I not enough of a Death Eater? Have I not proven my loyalty?"  
  
That moment it was Wormtail's turn to show Severus a smile of pure evil. "You give yourself too much credit. I saw you, you went to your store cupboard instead of using what was given. What you didn't know was that I had been in there moments before and just sprinkled a touch of deadly poison into everything. All of your stores. The Dark Lord's idea, yes. But I have not failed him this time. And what's more, we get the boy's soul. You have become very careless old friend.." He transformed again and left through the crack under the door.  
  
In a state of shock bordering on panic he quickly got the antidote for the sleeping potion. He began to administer it to Dumbledore but it never worked. He had killed Dumbledore, the one chance for the defeat of the Dark Lord. How could he have been so blind? He hadn't seen it, he never would have. Not from Wormtail at least. He covered the body with a blanket then immediately saw fit to try and at least save Draco. If he had ended one life tonight, he would not let another be wasted. 


	4. Mudbloods and Memories

Draco was rooted to the floor, but not by fear. He was firmly planted in place by use of a binding spell. He was unaware of when he had begun to stand or if it was even by his own strength. He looked up and laid eyes upon Lord Voldemort for the first time in his life. He tried to turn around and run but he couldn't move. He realized he needed to act quickly: he was under the Imperius curse. Draco immediately began to try to force the Dark Lord out of his head. It was futile, Draco Malfoy was no match for Lord Voldemort. "Legilimens!"  
  
Draco was rushing through his mind, memories flashing past. The time he broke his mother's 'favourite' vase and was beaten for it. His quidditch losses. His sixteenth birthday, which he spent sitting around in his room. The time he had shot a filibuster firework at the old house elf. Suddenly he realized the approach of two secrets that he couldn't let the Dark Lord know. The Guild was coming up, and right next to it were his feelings for Hermione, a mudblood. Either way it meant death for someone. Suddenly he realized that his memories were being scanned through at an increasing rate. He could only redirect the flow, he couldn't stop it until it reached one of those two memories. After one was discovered, he would need time to push his satisfaction at finding it. It would provide a distraction. Draco picked the one that proved he was not meant for Slytherin. He made the least selfish decision he would ever make in his life. He picked the one that would condemn him and spare the others. He gave up his love for Hermione.  
  
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Hermione and Ron sat on the train. The younger members of the Order who had been sent to Beauxbatons would be sent back in time for school, they had really only been sent so that they could feel a part of the Order. The girls could still attend for the year as exchange students to the all girls French school. The boys, which only really included Colin Creevey and four others, would be sent back within the next few weeks, which would likely remain uneventful. They would all need to transfer from the train to a flying horse drawn carriage. There was no other way to reach the school. Ron held Hermione in his arms, she lay dozing. The early rays of the sun were penetrating the trees on the side of the tracks. He pulled her close and whispered three words into her ear. A slight smile spread across her lips. He whispered another set of words for which Hermione instead sat up, turned around and playfully punched his arm. Then she said, "Well, maybe later." Suddenly she sat bolt upright. Something about her intuition told her to be afraid for her life.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ron looked worried.  
  
"Nothing, just a chill." She lay down to a fitful rest in her Fiancee's arms.  
  
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"So, you're quite taken with this mudblood I see." Voldemort's lipless grin spread across his snakelike face. "Why don't we remove the distraction."  
  
Draco remained as calm as he could. "She is engaged, to a Weasley nonetheless. There is no point, they'll all be dead soon anyway." Suddenly he found himself fighting back tears. There was no way that he could let the Dark Lord let him see his pain.  
  
"She broke your heart did she?"  
  
Draco suddenly felt the need to come clean. He was prepared to die here if it meant anything. "I was cruel."  
  
"Cruel? She's a mudbllood!"  
  
Suddenly a memory of Harry yelling in the middle of one of Professor Umbridge's poorly done Defence Against the Dark Arts Classes that the Dark Lord was a mudblood himself. "You should die too then! You don't even meet your own standards! You do nothing more than hate yourself Voldemort!"  
  
Voldemort was momentarily taken aback. An educated pureblood wizard using his name, to his face no less. Draco took this one moment of surprise to find that he stall had his wand tucked in his belt. The fear had left him the moment he had uttered the forbidden name of any wizard to use. The only other wizards he knew who had ever comfortably used his name had been Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. He immediately screamed the first hex that popped into his mind. "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort had obviously thought that his wand had been taken from him. He was so caught off guard that his own wand went flying three feet. Draco ran then. He ran even though he didn't know the way out.  
  
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Severus reached the empty space of land then thought of the address 137 Sherwood Blvd and a fairly large industrial building appeared to rise from the ground. He then ran inside to quickly reach Voldemort's personal chambers. He hoped he could still find the way. Obviously the other Death Eaters hadn't been informed of his defection - yet. He hurried down the pipelined corridors, hopefully he would reach the main room in time. He suddenly caught sight of something moving at high speed down the hall coming straight towards him. "Draco! This way quick!" Severus turned down the hall, his black robes billowing out behind him. Draco had already caught up with him. Severus ran faster, intent upon getting them both out alive.  
  
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The compartment door slid open as Remus did his routine check. He saw that the two had settled comfortably on the bench. She was covered in a blanket and he had his arm around her. He thought better than to tell Ron.  
  
Suddenly there was a scream from another compartment. Neville snapped wide awake, Ginny groggily muttered something under her breath then sat up, still drowsy, but alert. "What was that?"  
  
Remus leapt away from the door, "Stay where you are!" He ran in the direction of the scream, wand drawn he entered the compartment that was the source. He threw open the door and found Hermione writhing on th floor, Ron madly trying to calm her down.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Ron looked Remus straight in the eye, trying to mask the fear on his face, "She screamed that he'd come for her at last." 


	5. Snake Eyes

He lay awake in bed again, another nightmare, and he knew it wasn't real. It couldn't be. Harry sat up and slowly got out of bed.  
  
Draco lay sobbing on the floor.  
  
This time he headed for the refrigerator, he still had to be quiet going downstairs, though since graduating the Dursleys had certainly been hardly a threat at all. He usually respected most of their rules simply for Dumbledore's sake.  
  
"I can't believe I let him know."  
  
Harry grabbed some leftovers, it was just from an empty stomach was all.  
  
Severus Snape stood in the doorway. Draco didn't notice him, but his usual face of stone was replaced by a soft sadness that Harry had never seen before.  
  
On second thought, leftovers didn't sound so good. Maybe he should take some more of his sleeping potion.  
  
Draco reared up and punched the wall. "I sold her out! I killed her already! I killed her..." He slipped back to the floor.  
  
Harry suddenly realized that the dream hadn't been like this, that it was happening now. He knew that he was seeing through the eyes of a large snake. Voldemort's snake, Nagini.  
  
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Severus knew he had to return to the school. He couldn't keep Draco here in the small abandoned house, as safe as it was. He had to try and explain, he had spent too much of his life running from his past already. He entered the bedroom half of the worn out building. "Draco, we are leaving for Hogwarts, I have some unfinished business there."  
  
Draco looked at him and the look on his face was one of pure and unmasked guilt and regret. There was also a hint of anger and sadness. Though he didn't show it, he felt strongly for the boy and a sudden twinge of sympathy. Suddenly, he heard it. Some at first, and then a rushing loud hiss. He saw it too late, the enormous snake reared up behind Draco. He acted fast, and his wand was pointed at the snake as it came down hard on Draco's shoulder. A jet of red light hit the snake, giving him a small opportunity to grab Draco and run as it regained its senses.  
  
They reached the front door and as soon as they got outside they Severus locked the door behind them. He looked at Draco, he was still alert, though he wouldn't be for long. The blood and venom oozed down Draco's left shoulder. "Draco, can you hear me? Listen, you need to apparate without me, I want you to go to St. Mungo's. I have to get to Hogwarts now. Understand?"  
  
Draco nodded and pulled out his wand. With a loud crack, he disappeared. Severus had to go inside to use the fireplace, he couldn't apparate onto school grounds. He got inside and didn't see the snake, so he quickly ran to the brick fireplace and pointed his wand at the logs rested there. A fire started up instantaneously and he hurriedly threw some floo powder onto the fire. "Hogwarts Castle, Dumbledore's office." He stepped into the now green flames and stepped into the office. He quickly walked over to the phoenix sitting on its perch. "Fawkes, I need you now."  
  
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Hermione lay in a bed at the French school. The nurse there had been not nearly as accommodating as Madame Pomfrey, but she was still working hard to make sure she was comfortable. Hermione knew now that having muggle parents had finally come to call. Voldemort had discovered some reason to go after her, and he was letting her know. He wanted her to be scared. She was just stirring from her rest. Ron sat asleep in an easy chair in the corner. Hermione wanted to know why she had been singled out. Or had she? No, she was certain she was the only one that he wanted for the time being. But how did he know to find her?  
  
Draco. He must have done it. He hated her and she recalled the times when he had told her to her face that she was going to die, and how happy that would make him. He told her Voldemort was going to kill her and then the world would be a better place when all of the muggles and mudbloods were dead. He was a Death Eater, and he was trying to get on Voldemort's good side. He would be the one to sell her out in an instant.  
  
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A boy lay asleep in the dark. His eyes flickered as he slept, some nightmarish reality taking place beyond his eyelids. The words only he could hear were ringing through his head.  
  
"Harry is the one who will save us all. You can't do anything, stupid boy. You can never be Harry. You are a useless boy. There is nothing in your future. Your blood cannot save you now, you have forsaken it. He will be after you, do not deny him. You will get another chance to prove your worth to him, he would enjoy your company. Choose life."  
  
He opened his eyes and he could feel the dark power of the words that had been uttered to him from a faraway place. He had not dreamed up the words, but they had been what he had not wanted to hear. They were the words that had so much weight upon them, those few short sentences held his destiny in the balance.  
  
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Harry gazed out the window on the train, he watched as the trees passed by. He stared at his own reflection, lost in thought. Not only was his own life in danger, but he had to reach St. Mungo's, and he needed to get there fast. He knew that Draco had some of the answers he needed, whether he had to force them out of him or not. 


	6. Love and War

Her smiling face shone in the sunlight, echoes of laughter filled the air. Then the screams began, muffled at first, but then louder until they had reached a deafening roar and he couldn't take it anymore. He began to cry out in agony and the light faded to an eery light, but the screams remained in his ears. He fell onto the floor in a desperate act to get them out of his head, but no matter how he thrashed and tried to drown it out with his own screams.  
  
Footsteps could be heard coming to reach him, and as he was becoming a crumpled heap on the floor Harry appeared at the door next to one of the hospital staff. "Draco! What the hell is going on here!?"  
  
Draco looked up bleary eyed from the floor and though the screams were still present they had soothed to a dull roar from the raging torrent seconds before. "Harry... I... Hermione... she's in trouble...." Draco collapsed onto the bed as he began to rise. Harry swam before his eyes in the pale glow from the doorway.  
  
"What did you do!?" Harry was suddenly in a rage, he lunged for Draco before thinking better of it and told the staff to close the door so that he could speak with Draco. The man agreed and quickly backed out of the room, softly shutting the soundproofed door behind him.  
  
"I... Voldemort, he's after her. She... I... he's out for revenge. He's going to make it very painful Harry.... Harry?"  
  
"What did you do you son of a bitch!"  
  
Though Draco was nearly passing out, he managed to snicker a little bit at that remark. "Yeah, she really was... was a bitch." Draco winced at every movement now. He was really tired, he just wanted to sleep. "It is my fault that he's after her. I... he was trying to see how he could... hurt..."  
  
But Draco fainted dead away, Harry could see that his shoulder had begun to ooze a deep acid green mixed with his blood. Harry was still angry and began to shout at Draco. "GET UP!! I'm not finished with you! I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!!!"  
  
Draco's eyes fluttered a moment, and he uttered three barely audible words, and at those words Harry suddenly stepped back and collapsed into the guest chair beside the bed. "If that's true then why sell her out!? If she dies, its your fault!"  
  
But Draco didn't stir, he made no sound aside from his shallow, ragged breaths. Harry got up, he had to get to Beauxbatons to protect Hermione.  
  
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Ron's eyes began to move rapidly behind closed lids, and suddenly he began to thrash about wildly in his sleep. Hermione turned immediately to him and began to try and wake him up, which had been a mistake, because as she neared him his arms flew and one of them struck her in the face and at that moment his eyes snapped open. He saw Hermione, sore and sobbing on the floor, but he only saw her as alive, her screams echoed in his head as she had died in front of his eyes, he had watched her turn to ash before his eyes. He put his arms around her and held her as she lay sobbing and the screams in his ears were for the moment drowned out by his thoughts of love and fear for Hermione's life.  
  
"Hermione, it will be alright. I love you, it will be okay."  
  
Hermione buried her face into Ron's shoulder and they lay sobbing together on the floor of the infirmary.  
  
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Remus woke with a start. His small shack was almost a kilometre away from the school, and though the full moon wasn't for two more weeks he couldn't come near the school after dark, and it was all because he was a werewolf. Suddenly he heard the sound again, the sound that had woken him. A faint scratching at the door. Remus knew better than to open it. He slowly got up, his super sensitive hearing heightened even more by the dark.  
  
Suddenly the scratching turned into high pitched squeaky laughter, a sound he had hoped he would never hear again. "Remus," a scratchy voice called from outside. "Old friend, we need to settle something, but not now. I will return on the full moon. I will let you prepare, for you will need all the help you can get. And this I swear, this is my word, I will only come by myself. This is between you and me, not even the Dark Lord knows about this, and my friends will arrive after it is settled. Prepare if you want. What have you got? A bunch of schoolchildren? Ha! The war is only beginning. But I swear to you, on the full moon, it will be settled. We will finish it, and you can join the rest of your friends in eternal slumber. Believe me, I want this to end as much as you do." Remus heaved a sigh.  
  
If Peter wished to end it he could. And he knew that no matter what, he wouldn't bring anyone into their fight. It had to end with the both of them. He would of course raise the alarm amongst the Order. But Peter, he would not know the fury still left in Remus's worn body. The lean muscle underneath the dirt and rags. And the full moon? Peter was mad. But still, Remus felt some apprehension about the upcoming battle. Something wasn't right.  
  
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Draco muttered some words to the now empty room. "I did it to save the rest of them... it was their lives or... hers... if I didn't... I'm not a traitor... never would have... if I could take it back...." the words faded into sobs as he stared out the silver moon, never before had he wanted to end his pain so badly. His heart was screaming with the weight of Hermione's death sentence. But she wasn't dead yet. He would rest tonight, then tomorrow he would have to stop Harry from doing something brash like he always did. For now, he could only sit and wait as the clouds rolled in around his heart. 


	7. Never More

The dining hall was covered in silver and candles as always, but only a select few were lit. Classes didn't begin for another two weeks so it was only the Order Members dining. Everyone was seated except for Remus, who had his food sent out to the grounds for the later dinners. Neville was seated next to Ginny, and Neville's cheeks were an ever so slight shade of pink. Hermione sat in silence next to Ron and stared at her plate. Ron just held her hand and gazed at her with love in his eyes so strong, yet it was brought on by the hint of torture and agony in his eyes. Fred and George were sitting and laughing as always, though after the events of the past few days they weren't quite as jovial as usual. Of course, a crack at Ginny and Neville was neverentirely out of order.  
  
"Look at those two lovebirds over there!"  
  
"Squawking up a storm if you ask me."  
  
"Look Neville, Ginny's a real special boy, so we want you to never break his heart."  
  
Neville looked up as they continued poking fun at the two, but Fred and George just kept going, and because Ginny was their sister, it reached an almost malicious tone.  
  
"Neville, can't you-" Ginny looked into Fred's eyes with such ferocity that Fred instantaneously shut his mouth. George opened his mouth to continue but Fred just elbowed him in the stomach and motioned to Ginny. Neville's face had also lost its rosiness and begun to turn a slight shade of red, but this time from anger. Even though Fred and George were just joking, he still couldn't stand them when they made wisecracks at Ginny all the time. He could care less if it was about him, but as soon as they pulled Ginny into it he just wanted to deck both of them. He would do anything to protect Ginny, even die for her. He didn't know if she knew how he felt, but he didn't care. As long as she was there around him he was happy.  
  
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Harry's arrival through the floo network into Beauxbatons was swift and silent. He made his way from the main hall fireplace to Madame Maxime's office and as he knocked on the dor he could hear two people talking. A gruff voice was close to tears as the muffled sobs of words made their way to the ears of Madame Maxime.  
  
Harry let himself in to the sight of a very large man in animal skins practically in tears as the large woman of Madame Maxime tried to comfort the blubbering giant. "Hagrid, you have to tell me what 'as 'appened. Please don't do zis to yourself." She looked up to see Harry standing by the door. She heaved a sigh of relief. "Harry, so good to see you. Please, sit down, Hagrid iz trying to tell me something, but it 'as upset him too much."  
  
Harry looked at Hagrid and spoke softly to him. "Hagrid, what is it? Please Hagrid, we need to know."  
  
Hagrid managed to stifle his sobs for a moment and spoke. "Harry, its awful. Its Dumbledore Harry... he's... he's" The sobs came again but Harry and Madame Maxime had already guessed what had upset him so much. Madame Maxime broke the silence. "Harid, he isn't dead, is he?" Hagrid's sobs broke out again so loud that it was enough confirmation of their worst fear as if Hagrid had said the words himself.  
  
After a few minutes Hagrid's sobs had somewhat subsided and though his nose was stuffy and red he began to speak again. Harry himself had almost begun to cry at the news, but he knew better. Madame Maxime still had tears streaming down her face, but Hagrid began to speak. "Yes, yes its true. Found him this morning, no one had seem him fer a few days, but that's not so strange 'round the start o' the school year."  
  
"Hagrid, how?" Harry was in some other reality, Hogwarts was undefended, and this also meant Harry was the last hope.  
  
"Well, the Ministry came in, found out he was poisoned. Snape's 'bin missing, so its more than just suspecting its 'bin him thats done it. Aside from that, its 'bin taken from his cupboards."  
  
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Severus was in the one room at the ministry where he needed to be. He had gotten into the room with the veil. Fawkes rested on his shoulder, but not contentedly. He was ever vigilant to spot any chance for escape. But he wouldn't truly take flight, he knew that he needed to go on a journey beyond anything before. Severus looked at the bird and spoke the words so ancient that they had been all but forgotten. It was in some foreign tongue and didn't sound human or even so much like words. The indescribable sounds uttered were finished with these words, "Sirius Black."  
  
And with that the bird flew into the veiled archway and didn't come out the other side.  
  
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Volta arrived with a select group of girls who were part of the Guild. They entered through the main doors and approached Madame Maxime's office where they walked in on Harry's reaction to the news. Harry swore right there, "I will never rest until he's dead. Never."  
  
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Things in the dining hall were interrupted by an announcement by Madame Maxime. Something about her seemed wrong, she seemed almost distracted. "Alright everyone. I 'ave an announcement to make. First of all, these girls 'ere are from the Serpent's Guild. Now please girls, go sit down, I will fill you all in on what has happened. Now, everyone, please make sure you are seated. Albus Dumbledore 'as been- he- Dumbledore is..." She sucked in her breath, "Dead." 


End file.
